Quatrains of love:
Na deed hai, na sukhan hai, na harf hai, na payaam
by
Faiz Ahmed Faiz
Na deed hai, na sukhan hai, ab na harf hai, na payaam
Koi bhi hilaa-e-taskeen nahin aur aas bahut hai
Ummeed-yaar, nazar ka mizaaz, dard ka rang
Tum aaj kuch bhi na poocho ki dil udaas bahut hai
translated by
Mustansir Dalvi
Neither sight nor sound,
nor word, nor missive,
not even cold comfort
to assuage my anticipation
for a prospect of meeting, my love?
For the consolation of sight?
For a comparison of hurts?
Oh! Do not ask, my heart lurches,
brimful with sadness.
Translation and Transliteration © Mustansir Dalvi, 2012, All rights reserved.